And he only played one season, his rookie year, with the Baltimore Bullets. Thats when America got to know his trademark goggles (and beard) on the way to NBA Finals losses to the Bulls and Pistons. After missing Game 6 of the 1970 NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers with a torn thigh muscle, Reed was almost certainly a scratch for Game 7. His father, Stan, was an NBA player, and he had his son study tapes of Hall of Famer Wes Unseld as part of learning to play the game the right way. If you want a firsthand look at what that meant, feel free to cue up his 2015 documentary, "Muse," which chronicles his comeback from tearing his Achilles tendon. Shaq Michael Jordan Kobe Bryant Bill Russell Who has made the most three-pointers in NBA history? This was designed for true NBA fans who feel they can guess a team logo with their eyes closed. But Jokic is immune, why? Unseld wasted little time putting the league on notice, and joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in NBA history to win Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year in the same season. Mark Jackson can make an argument for being one of the toughest. On that same night who was the next . You can instantly get the latest updates about various . Former 76ers general manager Pat Williams probably described Jones the best: "He gives you two hours of his blood, showers and goes home.". That was just the break he needed. Teams: Seattle SuperSonics (1979-81), Detroit Pistons (1981-91), San Antonio Spurs (1991-92), Key stats: 984 G, 12.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 3.3 APG, 46.4 FG%. Weddle - NFL Wordle - Guess the NFL player in as few tries as possible. That Silas did it with aplomb and earned a reputation for never losing his cool speaks to more than just being tough. Wilkins was a 6-foot-8 dunking machine and one of the most unfairly athletic wing players to ever step on an NBA court. Teams: Milwaukee Bucks (1969-75), Los Angeles Lakers (1975-89), Key stats: 1,560 G, 24.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 3.6 APG, 55.9 FG%, NBA titles: 6 (1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988). He finished his career as the second most prolific scorer in NBA history with 36,928 points and shot 51.6% from the field over his 19 seasons. He played for the Charlotte Hornets, Washington Bullets, Golden State Warriors, and Toronto Raptors. Scroll down to the bottom for the answer key. The Iceman played his first 269 games in the ABA before taking his legendary finger roll to the NBA in the 1976-77 season, but unlike Erving, Gervins numbers actually went up virtually across the board against the increased competition. They didnt get that way because they could score or rebound. Teams: San Francisco/Golden State Warriors (1963-74), Chicago Bulls (1974-76), Cleveland Cavaliers (1976-77), Key stats: 964 G, 15.0 PPG, 15.0 RPG, 2.7 APG, 42.1 FG%. Unlike many of the players on this list, Larry Bird was seldom the best athlete to step out on the floor. Bottom line: When it comes to Bill Laimbeer, the argument is always going to come down to whether he was a tough player or just dirty. Teams: New Jersey Nets (2000-04), Denver Nuggets (2004-11), Los Angeles Clippers (2012), New York Knicks (2013-14), Milwaukee Bucks (2015), Key stats: 757 G, 12.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.9 APG, 48.3 FG%. The moment Thomas toughness was no longer in doubt was at the end of his tenure with the Celtics, when he was on the verge of getting close to a max contract in free agency in the offseason. Teams: Boston Celtics (1997-98), Toronto Raptors (1998-99), Denver Nuggets (1999-2000, 2008-11), Minnesota Timberwolves (2000-02), Detroit Pistons (2002-08, 2013-14), New York Knicks (2011), Los Angeles Clippers (2011-13), Key stats: 1,043 G, 15.2 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 5.4 APG, 41.5 FG%. Before turning his focus to basketball, the two-time Most Valuable Player grew up in Canada playing hockey, and his family lived in the same neighborhood as future NHL stars Russ and Geoff Courtnall. Johnson, a two-time All-Star, signed the richest contract in NBA history in 1993 when the Hornets got him for 12 years and $84 million. The Diesel was one of the biggest, strongest, and perhaps the most powerful presence in NBA history. But what really set Jordan apart was, after his brief stint in baseball, with his body stronger and less explosive, he developed one of the most lethal midrange jumpers the game has ever seen. That makes the four-time NBA Most Valuable Player and 15-time All-NBA pick one of the toughest and most durable players of all time. Key stats: 963 G, 15.1 PPG, 22.5 RPG, 4.3 APG, 44.0 FG%, NBA titles: 11 (1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969). Granlund, 31, is not a large forward. Bottom line: Nate Thurmond was as ferocious of a rebounder as anyone in NBA history, and just as good at blocking shots and defense. Guess the Logos of the Clubs. Top 20 Hardest Players to Guard in NBA History, 10 Feel-Good WCW Stories That Made Fans Emotional, 5 Best WWE Tag Team Champions Of The Golden Era (& 5 Worst). Faulk was pretty close but only ran for 12,279 total yards. In his first 13 seasons, he missed just four games and only missed 22 in his career, with 17 of those coming at the start of the 1997-98 season as he recovered from an injured MCL. Iverson grew up in abject poverty and was sentenced to five years in prison as a senior in high school for a bowling alley assault, serving four months before he was granted clemency by the governor of Virginia. Bottom line: In 12 NBA seasons, Bobby Jones earned a reputation as one of the classiest players of all time. Each. Toughness ran in Stocktons family. At 5 foot 3, Muggsy Bogues is the shorted player in the history of the National Basketball Association. Consider also that James has played in three Summer Olympics, two FIBA World Championships and, in 17 years of professional basketball, has never had a major injury. Boasting great size at 6-foot-8 and about 250 pounds, hes strong enough to finish through contact, he has a strong midrange game, and his three point shooting has been improving year after year. Anthony Edwards is the most intriguing player on the T'Wolves because, despite being only 21 years old, it is unquestionably his team. Thats not to say that other players didnt also possess those qualities, just that virtually no one possessed them in addition to having the skill set of a perimeter player. Bottom Line: Bob Lanier is one of the most well-respected NBA players of all time and has his iconic No. Yet they are millionaires and would love to play like 20 mins a game the amount Of time these so called superstar play should not shut their body down to where they have to (rest). Teams: Chicago Bulls (1999-2002), Indiana Pacers (2002-06), Sacramento Kings (2006-08), Houston Rockets (2008-09), Los Angeles Lakers (2009-13, 2015-17), New York Knicks (2013-14), Key stats: 991 G, 13.2 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.7 APG, 41.4 FG%. Van Lier died unexpectedly in 2009 at 61 years old, the same day as former Bulls coach Johnny "Red" Kerr. Teams: Seattle SuperSonics (1990-03), Milwaukee Bucks (2003), Los Angeles Lakers (2003-04), Boston Celtics (2004-05), Miami Heat (2005-07), Key stats: 1,335 G, 16.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 6.7 APG, 46.6 FG%. One little-known fact about Havlicek, an 11-time All-NBA pick and eight-time All-NBA Defensive pick, is that he was also drafted as a wide receiver by the Cleveland Browns and briefly contemplated a career in the NFL. Unseld was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1988. In any other era he would be a dominant power forward, yet he possesses the skill set of a point guard with a 6-foot-8, 250 pound frame. Lucas also could ball. INDIANAPOLIS At first, the comparison checks out. As, there are many NBA teams like Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto Raptors, LA Clippers, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks , and Houston Rockets. The physically dominant power forward was one of the biggest, strongest, and most intimidating figures to ever play the game at 6-foot-9, 250 pounds, and his superior fitness and athleticism allowed him to run past defenders and finish with authority. Teams: Minnesota Timberwolves (2008-14), Cleveland Cavaliers (2014-present), Key stats: 713 G, 18.2 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 2.4 APG, 44.2 FG%. Magic Johnson, quite simply, may have been the single most versatile player in NBA history. Some of the most legendary players in the history of the NBA include Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird. Guess the most average players - The average NBA height is 6'6" and the average age is 26 years old. Hes also one of just five players, along with LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Scottie Pippen and Giannis Antetoukompo, to lead an NBA team in all five top statistical categories (points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks) in the same season. Teams: Indiana Pacers (1975-78), Atlanta Hawks (1978-84), Detroit Pistons (1984-85), Washington Bullets (1985-87), Key stats: 813 G, 14.3 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 2.0 APG, 48.2 FG%. Originally Answered: Was Michael Jordan the hardest working NBA player in the NBA's history? He never made it past the second round of the playoffs but was an eight-time All-NBA Defensive Team selection and three-time All-Star. Magic Johnson, LeBron James. You can say what you want about Carmelo Anthony possibly being a gunner or not being particularly interested in playing defense, but what you cant deny is that hes one of the most naturally gifted scorers to come alone in the NBA in the last several decades. In addition to starting lineups, this tool will also display Vegas odds, positions and salaries for that day's games on DraftKings. The Finnish native is 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds. His size, 6-foot-7 and 250 pounds, was more NFL defensive end than power forward but also may have been the cause of back problems that ended his career. In the NBA, some of the greatest players of all time have also been some of the toughest as well as some of the most beloved. Many players have natural talent they cultivate after gaining a better understanding of where hard work will get them. It's that easy! Teams: Baltimore Bullets (1965-66), Chicago Bulls (1966-76). Being tough is more than just being physical. How do you function when everyone is against you? Bottom line: Michael Jordans toughness was the stuff of legend, and the five-time NBA Most Valuable Player was legendarily hard on teammates. Boston Celtics (2015-17), Cleveland Cavaliers (2017-18), Los Angeles Lakers (2018), Denver Nuggets (2018-19), Washington Wizards (2019-present), Key stats: 525 G, 18.1 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 5.0 APG, 43.6 FG%. Show answer How many personal fouls does a player get to be ejected from an NBA basketball game? Theres a mental aspect to being tough thats just as important. Its also a clear indicator of where his toughness came from he trails only Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell in that category. Chuck Hayes is the quintessential lunch-pail NBA player. Bottom line: Dan Roundfield "Dr. Rounds" could be the next name you drop in a conversation with fellow NBA heads when youre talking about the most underrated, underappreciated players of all time. Oakleys best seasons were with the Knicks, including two NBA All-Defensive Team selections and his lone All-Star appearance, in 1994. 2002, 2009, 2010). You know who else thought McDaniel was tough? Despite the Hornets winning five games in a row, fans are calling out the team and its owner, Michael Jordan. In 2009, the NBA named its Finals MVP award after Russell. Myself, I liked to get my fight over on Monday or Tuesday and not worry about it the rest of the week.". , I liked to get my fight over on Monday or Tuesday not. His lone All-Star appearance, in 1994 row, fans are calling out the team and its owner, Jordan. Oakleys best seasons were with the Knicks, including two NBA All-Defensive team selections and his All-Star. 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